Premier League Saturday, Gameweek 36: Open Thread

In the biggest weekend of the Premier League so far this season, we have plenty to look forward. There’s the gigantic match tomorrow between Manchester United and Chelsea. But, for today’s purposes, let’s focus on the six crucial matches being played across England this fine day.

First, we have five games being played concurrently at 10am ET/3pm BST. Those are:

Aston Villa versus Wigan (massive three point opportunity for Wigan),

Bolton versus Sunderland (battle for mid-table),

Everton against Manchester City (can Everton do Liverpool a favor?),

Newcastle against Birmingham (Birmingham needs a point or more to reach safety),

West Ham versus Blackburn (the biggest match of the day, relegation battle royale),

And then, last but not least, the late game on Saturday which features Tottenham Hotspur against Blackpool (12:30pm ET/5:30pm BST). Harry Redknapp says he doesn’t want Spurs to play in the Europa League, so will this give Blackpool a chance of a lifetime?

You know the drill. Before, during or after the Premier League matches today, use the thread below to rant, rave, question or observe anything Premier League-related. Enjoy your Saturday of football, Premier League style.

About The Author

Publisher of World Soccer Talk, Christopher Harris founded the site in 2005. He has been interviewed by The New York Times, The Guardian and several other publications. Plus he has made appearances on NPR, BBC World, CBC, BBC Five Live, talkSPORT and beIN SPORT.
Harris, who was born and raised in Wales, has lived in Florida since 1984, and supported Swansea City since 1979. Last but not least, he got engaged during half-time of a MLS game.

40 Comments

SeanMay 7, 2011

I cannot believe that Liverpool still has a chance to qualify for the Champions League.

West Ham are going down thanks to that pathetic excuse of a footballer Robbie Keane. He missed a one-on-one last week and today missed a sitter. Great game especially at the end.

Everton once again show why they are the bogey team for Manchester City. City were cruising but Everton had a strong second half and now 4th is still in play for Spurs, and who knows even Liverpool if things fall their way.

Let’s see if Spurs can capitalise on City’s loss by beating Blackpool who are fighting for their lives. Should be a good game coming up shortly.

Another draw for Wigan and it might be a good point in the end or may not be enough to save their season. Next week’s clash with West Ham is a must-win for them.

I don’t know quite how similar this seasons run-in is to most is the past, but as my first (especially as a Spurs fan) I’m loving it. I know it’s unlikely Spurs will see 4th, but Everton is certainly giving us every last chance to redeem some terrible losses and draws. The Spurs-Pool match next weekend could prove to be an absolute thriller. Chelsea is a win away from sole first place. Couldn’t ask for much better!

Another new EPL fan in the US who has adopted Spurs(my thought process is to long and drawn out to detail how). However as the season progressed I’ve fallen for Blackpool as well. love their style and back story. So a win win for me today is 3 pts for Blackpool. spurs should want no part of Europa League.

Benitez and Liverpool are now looking like geniuses for selling Keane back to Spurs at a loss. The guy is absolute shite. West Ham are going to be in the Championship because of him. My granny could have done better than him and scored. Well, at least Harry Redknapp’s gran would have.

With a little more experience in professional football, blackpool could have taken that game and run with it. Tottenham looked dangerous at times, and Blackpool finally looked like a Premier League side.

I beg your pardon, I should have worded it “top-flight” instead of professional. You are correct.

What I was referring to was more of the keeping possession without giving the ball away in what seem to be amateurish mistakes. Especially when it comes to holding a lead. I forget who it was, but I remember seeing that Blackpool was up 2-0, only to lose 3-2 not too long ago.

I have followed Blackpool all season and would like them to stay up! But even if they went to the championship, it would still be professional.

Though City made the race for 4th look much more interesting by dropping points at Everton, Spurs filed suit by dropping a home match to relegation-threatened Blackpool.

My thoughts before the Everton game was that Manchini would really go for a win here, so that he could “rest” some key players for the Cup final in a week, and hope to hold Spurs to a 0-0 draw on Thursday, or pull out a 1-0 win. If they had won at Everton, the pressure would really be on Spurs on Thursday

Now, I think tactics have to change a bit – a draw with Tottenham would still be an OK result for City, seeing as they’re clear of them by 6 still, with Bolton and Stoke ahead. However, a loss is still a bit more damaging, though not as much as if Spurs had beaten Blackpool.

Will be interesting seeing how Mancini approaches this week and who he’ll play at home.

what are you smoking?
City are 6 points ahead currently. A draw would keep them 6 points ahead. City have something like +21 for GD. Spurs have like +7. Spurs would have to win each game by like 6 goals to get 4th.
soo… A draw against spurs will do.

Let me do some very simple math for you. If Citeh only gets one more point in their three remaining matches they will finish with 63 points.

Spurs are on 56 points right now. Liverpool currently has 55 points. If Liverpool or Spurs win out they will get 9 additional points. Mind you, I do not have a calculator with me at the moment but, I am 100% sure that 56+9 or 55+9 equals a sum greater than 63.

No Sean, you’re still not taking into account the fact that Evan said a draw WITH SPURS will be ok for City.

If they draw with Spurs, they are sitting at 63 points, and 67 points. Thus, if City then lose to Stoke and Bolton, and Spurs win their last TWO, they would be tied – but City then have a much larger Goal Differential than Spurs (unless Spurs, as he said, win at a gigantic margin).

So yes, a City draw WITH Spurs is perfectly fine as far as beating them for 4th. Now, if 1 point is all City gets in that span, Liverpool then would have a chance, but they would have to win out.

There’s some critical thinking, and not just blind math, to help you out.

City need at least two more points to claim 4th. If Liverpool , presently at 55 points, win all three of their remaining games they will have 64 points. City are presently at 62 points. Spurs are presently at 56 points. So a draw for City against Spurs will eliminate Spurs for 4th and unless City get at least one more point in their last 2 games they could miss out to Liverpool. A loss for City to Spurs will really make things very interesting as Spurs will play Liverpool next Sunday. Anything but a win for Liverpool on Monday at Fulham will take them completely out of the running for 4th. All mathematical of course and City will need a meltdown of an epic proportion to miss out on Champions League play next season.

Spurs are in meltdown mode so there’s no reason City cannot go into one either. Manchester City lost today and it could be the beginning of a meltdown. Not impossible. At least till Monday Liverpool fans live in hope of CL football next season. I think it’s too little too late but it’s better to live in hope than no hope at all.

Now all we need is a Chelsea win tomorrow and things will get really interesting as goal difference could be the decider for the title if that happens. I love the EPL.

Steven and Norm are both really reasonable in their assessments here. As Norm states, City’s loss “could be the beginning of a meltdown,” and we saw it last year – but Steven is also correct in saying it would need to be a “meltdown of an epic proportion” – really greater than their miss of 4th last year.

However, if they were to actually, say, lose out or get 1 point in their next three, by all accounts get rid of Mancini! I’m not a huge fan of his, but his guidance of this team to the Cup final and probably 4th is more than City have experienced in quite some time. But you don’t miss out now, when you’re so close, or it says something about your ability to manage your team’s constitution.

All of that said, I firmly believe City will have this wrapped up very shortly.

And GO Chelsea! I would love United to win absolutely zilch, if they then lose to Barcelona in the CL final. Talk of a treble ending up with empty hands this season, and a potential trophy on City’s shelf is more than any City fan could rightly hope for.

Blackpool probably played their most complete game of the season today against Spurs, and came oh so close to nicking three points. Why oh why didn’t Puncheon pull the trigger at the very end? Oh well, another “must win” beckons next weekend against Bolton. We’ll keep dreaming till we’re forced to wake up!

Week 36 of the English Premier League (EPL) was yet another entertaining one. We’re getting ready to host watching parties at Longview Indoor Sportsplex, a new sports and recreation facility about to have it’s Grand Opening in Longview, Texas (TX).